THERE they were, the next generation of ALA Gym fighters.
Presented to the boxing media last week were the young, proud warriors who would dare step up to the plate and lead the charge.
Albert Pagara. Mark Magsayo. Kevin Catarata. Melvin Jakosalem. Jeo Santisima.
Pinoy Pride 35 to be held on Feb. 27 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel is aptly billed as ?Stars of the Future?.
GONE WITH THE OLD. At this point in ALA Promotions? endeavors and the ensuing events that have determined the fates of its former flagship fighters, it?s safe to say that we won?t be seeing Pinoy Pride cards headlines by the likes of Rey ?Boom-boom? Bautista and AJ ?Bazooka? Banal.
Even Genesis ?Azukal? Servania seems to have moved on.
The trusty holdovers will be the old reliables Donnie Nietes, the reigning WBO junior flyweight crown, Milan Melindo.
Other prominent names that have already had the share of the limelight are former world champion Merlito Sabillo, ?King? Arthur Villanueva and Albert?s elder brother Jason.
But this will be Albert?s first time to headline a card sans his brother, and it will be interesting to see how he holds up to scrutiny. .
He will be facing Nicaraguan Yesner Talavera who sports a record of 15-3, 4Kos.
Co-headlining the event will be Mark ?Magnifico? Magsayo (12-0, 10Kos) who will be pitted against Mexican Eduardo Montoya who already has 17 wins with 13Kos and 4 losses to his name.
QUERY. When asked by this Last Rounder to provide a comparison about how they were bringing along Pagara and Magsayo at this stage of their careers vis-?-vis Bautista and Banal, ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer sounded bullish about the current pair.
If skill level were the issue, Michael said the latest iterations were significantly better.
I agree.
Pagara is a very confident, young kid. Not unlike Bautista during his heyday, really.
That mop of sybaritic blond hair he sports just screams cockiness.
But with him , you get the sense that he has something more to offer, and that we may just be scratching the surface of his prodigious talents.
That sense of promise holds even truer with Magsayo who ? in his last fight, made short work of the previously undefeated Yardley Suarez at the Stubhub Center in California, USA.
Magsayo seems to have it all. Power. Speed. Ring intelligence. All at the tender pugilistic age of 20.
But not too long ago, didn?t we say the same of Banal who at the same age fought for the WBA superflyweight crown only to lose via heartbreaking TKO in a fight he was winning?
CHOICES. It?s an age-old promoter?s dilemma. Match your fighter early against the best and you will be accused of rushing his career.
Repeatedly pit him against nondescript opposition and you are coddling him and trying to pad his record.
It?s a tricky and delicate balancing act that ALA Promotions has to undertake.
If there?s one thing certain in the fight business is that everything is uncertain.
It?s a damned -if you- do,damned- if- you-don?t proposition out there.
So the best course to undertake is to do what you feel is best for your fighter?s development and forge ahead regardless of the bilious opinions offered.
Pagara and Magsayo are finally getting their own coming out party. Let?s hope they deliver.
LAST ROUND. It?s on Hon Judge Hernani Espina?s better half, Dara, who celebrates her birthday this week. Cheers!
